Three Centuries of Faith: Santa Rita de Cascia Parish, Pampanga

           Last August 17, my classmate, Fr. Bogs Moraleja, invited me to join the celebration of the tricentennial of the Parish of Santa Rita de Cascia in Santa Rita, Pampanga, where he is presently the parish priest.

The Mass was scheduled at eight in the morning, so we left Intramuros early and braved the rainy weather to make it to Santa Rita on time.

What immediately caught my attention when I arrived at the parish church were the sandbags placed in front of the church doors. I was told that during the previous week, the church was flooded.  Fortunately, by the time we arrived, the water had already subsided, although the church floor was still wet.

Passing through the old wooden convent, we encountered more water. Sandbags had been laid down as makeshift stepping stones so that we could cross the flooded portion and reach the present convent.

Santa Rita was among the Pampanga towns affected by the lahar following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. Although the lahar did not enter the church itself, it raised the level of the surrounding ground by about two to three feet. As a result, one now has to go down into the church from the surrounding area. When it rains continuously for several days, as it had during the two weeks before our visit, water seeps through the flooring and floods the interior. The parish has installed water pumps, but during prolonged and heavy rains, even these are sometimes not enough to keep the church dry.

The tricentennial celebration was also an occasion to remember the long history of the parish. Aside from priests of the Archdiocese of San Fernando, my classmate invited Augustinian priests from Manila, in recognition of the important role of the Augustinians in the evangelization of the area. They administered the parish for much of the Spanish period until its administration passed to the Filipino diocesan clergy around the time of the Philippine Revolution in 1898. Archbishop Florentino Lavarias of San Fernando was the main celebrant of the anniversary Mass.

I did not notice any significant changes in the church since my first visit about ten years ago. This time, however, I made it a point to photograph all fourteen Stations of the Cross. They are particularly interesting because they appear to be old wooden bas-relief carvings, with the titles of each station still written in Spanish. They are among the details of the church that speak quietly of its long history.

A first-class relic of Santa Rita de Cascia was also displayed near the altar for the occasion.

At the end of the Mass, Santa Rita Mayor Reynan S. Calo led the unveiling of the historical marker prepared by the municipal government in commemoration of the parish’s tricentennial.

It was fitting that the celebration looked back on three centuries of the parish's history while the old church itself continued to bear the marks of that history—from its Spanish-era religious art to the physical changes brought about by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Despite floods, lahar, changing times, and generations of parishioners and priests, the church of Santa Rita continues to stand at the heart of the community it has served for three hundred years.

 

Sandbags in front of the church. 

The present floor of the church is about two to three feet lower than the grounds outside the church. 

The first class relic of Santa Rita was on display beside the altar. 

An image of Sta. Rita by the baptismal chapel at the left side upon entering the church. 

The stations of the cross in bas relief. 

The side altar at the left wing fronting the altar. 

The opposite retablo at the right wing. 

One of the side altar

Another side altar

The dome of the church

Two wall paintings of the archangels Sts. Gabriel and Michael found at the baptismal chapel. 

The commemorative marker. 

The old convento beside the church

The ground floor of the old convento

A room in the old convento was still flooded. 

Near the sacristy. 

Some UST Alumni coming from the parish headed by Mildred Mariano (3rd from left) who heads the UST Kampangan chapter. Fr. Bogs Moraleja at the middle in blue clerical shirt is the parish priest. 

With the Dominican Sisters who are administering the parochial school.

A Pilgrimage Through the Historic Churches of Ilocos Norte

  

Last June 15–19, I had the privilege of visiting Ilocos Norte to attend the Annual Convention of the Arch/Diocesan Financial Administrators of the Philippines (ADFAP), where I was invited to serve as one of the speakers.

The organizers thoughtfully designed the convention so that the delegates could also experience the rich ecclesiastical heritage of the Diocese of Laoag. Instead of celebrating the Eucharist in just one venue, the daily Masses were held in different historic parishes across the province. At the conclusion of the convention, another church was included in the official tour.

In all, we were able to visit five of the diocese's most prominent churches: St. William's Cathedral in Laoag City, the magnificent St. Augustine Church of Paoay, San Nicolas Church, St. Monica Parish Church in Sarrat, and the Immaculate Conception Church in Batac. Each church reflected a distinct chapter of Ilocos Norte's rich history and enduring Catholic faith.

We also passed through the town of Bacarra. Although we did not have time to get off the bus, we caught a glimpse of its famous Domeless Bell Tower, often referred to as the "Domeless Bell Tower of Asia." Damaged by a powerful earthquake in the 19th century, the tower has remained without its cupola ever since and stands today as one of the province's most recognizable historical landmarks.

 

St. William the Hermit Cathedral Parish (F-1586)
Laoag City

St. Augustine Parish Church (F-1593)
Paoay, Ilocos Norte

Abp. William Antonio of Nueva Segovia was the main celebrant in the mass at Paoay. 

With Fr. Rock Bonoan, who was always our gracious host whenever we visited Laoag in the years before my assignment to the CBCP. It had been more than fifteen years since we last saw each other, so it took me a little while to recognize him. Once I did, it was a joyful reunion and a reminder of how enduring friendships in the priesthood remain despite the passing of time.

San Nicholas de Tolentino Parish (F-1584)
San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte

With the parish priest of San Nicolas, Fr. Dani Devaras who hails from Leyte. 

Abp. John Du of Palo was the celebrant and homilist in the mass of the ADFAP in San Nicolas.

St. Monica Parish Church (F-1724)
Sarrat, Ilocos Norte

The church of Sarrat was under renovation when we visited it. 

Apparently, the project is to put steel trusses over the wooden trusses to strengthen the structure of the roof. 

Immaculate Conception Parish Church (F-1587)
Batac City, Ilocos Norte

After the mass in Paoay, a dinner was served at the Ilocandia Cultural Center in Batac City. 

St. Andrew the Apostle Parish (F-1590)

Bacarra, Ilocos Norte